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Inside Look with Nicola Cameron author of Grading the Curve

I have Nicola Cameron in the ehouse today and she’s giving us the inside look into her new release, Grading the Curve. It has been released through one of my favorite Evernight Publishing lines, Romance on the Go. First up, I got Nicola to answers some questions and below you’ll find the cover, blurb, an excerpt, and all her links. Enjoy.

What turns you on creatively?

Something unusual that piques my curiosity. One time, I got stuck in downtown Dallas traffic and noticed the proliferation of pyramids that are used in architecture there. As I thought, “Gee, someone who could use pyramid power would love this place,” a plot bunny landed and I got a book out of it.

My mother would have said it was surviving past the age of 6 (I was a bit clumsy when I was young). I would have to say it’s my writing career — 2013 in particular has been an absolutely spectacular publishing year for me.

Ha! My sister-in-law is the same way, total klutz. I’d bet 2014 is going to be even better yet. What is your greatest fear?

Being forced to do work that I hate just to survive. I’ve had to do it before, and I really, really don’t ever want to go back to that place again.

I hear you. Evil day jobs are the worst.What are some of your favorite curse words?

As the daughter of a Marine, “fuck” and variations thereof are usually on my playlist.

Nice! That’s one of my favs too. J What is your favorite music (genre/artist/album/song)?

I like a wide variety of music from classical to rock. I like writing to instrumental soundtracks, and Sherlock Holmes, Pirates of the Caribbean, Stage Beauty, and The Fountain are some of my favorites.

Instrumentals can definitely be fabulous to write to. I don’t pick them enough. I’ll have to try these out. Thanks! When you’re not writing what are your favorite hobbies?

Do you have a couple of hours? When I’m not writing, I knit, quilt, crochet, make dollhouses, design jewelry, make dolls, and

Wow. Very interesting. What is your greatest extravagance?

Ebooks and crafting stash.

What quality do you most admire in a man?

Kindness. Too often, men these days are taught that it isn’t manly to be kind, and that’s just so damn wrong.

Truth! I saw several character trait lists today for various heroes and kindness definitely wasn’t listed that often. What is the one thing you do after finishing a story?

Enjoy the day-long writer’s high that comes with it. I don’t know what goes on in my brain when I finish something, but it’s better than Vicodin.

I know that feeling. It’s so very satisfying. Tell us a bit about the projects you are working on now?

I’m currently working on Breaker Zone (Book Two in the Olympic Cove series), a sci-fi caper romance called Two to Tango, and an MMF time-traveling adventure called Pharaoh’s Desire.

GRADING THE CURVE

by NICOLA CAMERON

BLURB:

Ellen Ragsdale is a scholarship student who just wants to get her college degree and start her life. Alexander Cord is a widowed English professor who hides his loneliness behind a sardonic facade. School rules have kept them at arm’s length all year long. But on the last night of Ellen’s college career, the two of them risk everything to find out if their mutual attraction is more than a classroom crush.

“Did you know that you always blush when you talk to me?” he said quietly. “It’s charming. You look like a medieval maiden receiving her first suitor.”

It felt like someone had painted fire across her skin. She ducked her head, staring dumbly at the hallway’s scarred paint. He couldn’t know. Nobody knew that about her. It wasn’t that obvious.

Was it?

“Interesting.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “I meant it as a compliment, but perhaps I struck closer to the truth than I’d intended.” He moved closer, and she could feel the heat from his whole body now, warming her like an invisible caress. “Are you?”

She swallowed hard. He couldn’t be asking what she thought he was asking. “A-am I—”

“A maiden. A virgin. I believe a popular term is ‘unicorn bait.’” His voice dropped, turning into a soft rumble. “I have to admit, I’m puzzled as to how someone as lovely and intelligent as you could still be virginal.”

Her entire face now felt like it was on fire. She’d gone on the occasional date, usually doubling with Keisha or Dianne, but once the guys found out what her schedule was like they didn’t bother calling again. “Too busy, I guess. Working, studying.”

To her surprise, cool fingers slid under her chin, gently turning her face up. “What a shame,” Cord said, his voice low and soft. “But if it’s of any consolation, men your age do tend to be rather slapdash and impatient when it comes to women. I assure you, you haven’t missed out on much by skipping the undergraduate sexual circus.” The façade of the academic disappeared. Underneath was a man she didn’t know, warm and standing so close to her. “That being said, I wonder … would you be willing to consider me?”

“What—” Her throat clicked, it was so dry. She swallowed and tried again. “What are you saying?”

He tilted his head to the side. “I want to take you to bed, Miss Ragsdale. I want to kiss that pink mouth of yours, undress you ever so slowly, play with those gorgeous breasts and suck your nipples before I caress every inch of your body. I want to bury my tongue between your legs and lap at your clit, and when you’re dripping wet I want to bury my cock in you. I want to see that sweet mouth of yours open and scream my name as I make you come over and over again.” Now she could smell his cologne, something masculine, woody, and underneath that, the musk of clean male. “Come home with me tonight, Miss Ragsdale. Let me make love to you. I promise you, you won’t regret it.”

BIO

Nicola Cameron is an expatriate Chicagoan who has lived in England, Canada, Holland, and Sweden, and keeps a confusing amalgamation of languages in her head as a result. Currently located in the clavicle of Texas, she has finally mastered the proper use of “y’all,” much to her Chicago family’s dismay.

Despite a healthy interest in sex since puberty, it wasn’t until 2012 that Nicola decided to try writing about it. As it turned out, the skills she picked up during her SF writing career transferred rather nicely to erotic romance. When not writing, she wrangles cats, smooches her husband, makes dolls of dubious and questionable identity, and thanks almighty Cthulhu that she doesn’t have to work for a major telecommunications company any more (because there’s BDSM, and then there’s just plain torture…).